Material feed mechanism for sand and chip spreaders



n 1 E. w. SAIBERLICH 2,391,655

MATERIAL FEED. MECHANISM FOR SAND A-ND CHIP SPREADERS,

Filed Nov. 21, 1957 2 sheets-sheet ATTORN'VS J 23, 1959 E. w. SAIBERLICH2,891,655

I 7 MATERIAL FEED MECHANISM FOR SAND AND CHIP SPREADERS Filed Nov. 21,1957 2 Sheets-Sheet z INVENTOR.

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2,891,655 Patented June 23, 1959 MATERIAL FEED MECHANISM FOR SAND ANDCHIP SPREADERS Erwin W. Saiberlich, Menasha, Wis., assignor to Fox 7River Tractor Company, Appleton, Wis., a corporation of WisconsinApplication November 21, 1957, Serial No. 697,877 I 3 Claims. (Cl.198-64) This invention relates to improvements in material feedmechanism for sand and chip spreaders.

Municipalities and other-government agencies charged with themaintenance of streets and highways have need at certain times of theyear, particularly in the North, for trucks equipped to spread materialssuch as sand and salt on the streets and highways, to control iceconditions. There is also a demand during certain periods of the yearfor trucks to spread chips. Apparatus for carrying out this work isdisclosed in my copending applications Serial No. 639,680, filedFebruary 12, 1957, and Serial No. 664,368, filed June 7, 1957, and thepresent application relates more particularly to improved means forfeeding material to the spreading mechanism and is a continuation inpart of application Serial No. 664,368.

It is a general object of the present invention to provide improvedmeans at the bottom of a hopper type body operable to move sand, chipsor the like longitudinally of the body and to deliver the same tospreading mechanism located centrally of the rear of the body.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide mechanism as abovedescribed Which includes a longitudinally extending auger so arranged inthe body as to effectively feed material to spreading mechanism at therear.

A further object of the invention is to provide mechanism as abovedescribed, wherein the rear end of the auger is so arranged with respectto a spinner type spreader as to deliver material directly thereto.

A further object of the invention is to provide improved mechanism asabove described having means for preventing undesired build-up ofmaterial at the rear of the body near the spinner whereby there is noobjectionable increase of power required to move the material out of thebody.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide mechanism forfeeding material from a hopper body to a rear sand and chip spreaderwherein there is an auger arranged in a novel manner with respect to thebody and spreader, said auger having a pitch which increases toward thespinner so that material at the rear of the body is moved in a feeddirection more rapidly than material at'the front thereof.

A further object of the invention is to provide mechanism as abovedescribed having an auger feed wherein the auger ends are supported innovel bearing assemblies which make it possible to remove or replace theauger without disassembling the-bearing assemblies or disturbing theiradjustment.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists of theimproved feed mechanism for sand and chip Spreaders, and all of itsparts and combinations, as set forth in the claims, and all equivalentsthereof.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating one complete embodiment ofthe preferred form of the invention, in which the same referencenumerals designate the same parts in all of the views:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a hopper body and chip spreader adaptedfor mounting on a truck, as is more completely disclosed in application,Serial No. 639,680, filed February 12, 1957;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view, on plane extendinglongitudinally of the body through the sand spreader housing, showingthe rear end of the auger delivering material to the spreader;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view through the hopperbody, the central portion being broken away to foreshorten the view, andother parts being broken Fig. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of therear end of the auger showing the bearing parts and pillow block inexploded relationship;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 55 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic view of the auger alone showing the variationin the pitch thereon; and

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary perspective view at the bottom of the hopperbody.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the improved deviceincludes a hopper body 10 having a longitudinally extending bottomtrough 11. Material to be spread on a road, such as sand, chips or thelike, is directed by the inclined sides 12 of the hopper body into thetrough as it gravitates downwardly. Depending from the rear of the bodyis a spreader housing 13 having an outwardly flared bottom skirt 14. Therear end of the trough 11 terminates at 15 (Fig. 2) and has an open endso that material 16 from the trough will fall by gravity downwardlywithin the spreader housing 13 as indicated.

The body 10 with its attached spreader housing is adapted to bedetachably mounted on a standard dump truck body when the tail gate isremoved therefrom, as

is more particularly described in copending application, Serial No.639,680, filed February 12, 1957. This serves to conveniently convert astandard dump truck to a sand spreading truck.

Mounted on the side of the auxiliary body is a motor 17. Transmissionmechanism leading from the motor includes clutch mechanism 18 driving asprocket wheel 19. An endless chain 20 transmits motion from thesprocket 19 to a sprocket wheel 21 mounted on one end of a jack shaft 22which is suitably journaled at the rear end of the body. The outer endof the jack shaft 22 carries sprocket wheels 23 and 24. An endless chain25 connects the sprocket wheel 23 with a sprocket wheel 26 (see Fig. 3).The sprocket wheel 26 is mounted on a shaft 27 which extends into a gearbox 28. The latter is supported on the rear end of the body 10. Suitablegears within the gear box transmit rotation to a vertical shaft 29. Thelatter suitably drives a spreading spinner 30 through mechanism which isshown in Fig. 2 and fully described in copending application, Serial No.664,368, filed June 7, 1957. This drive includes a splined connection 31which allows for vertical adjustable movement of the spinner 30, themechanism also including suitable means 32 for effecting said verticaladjustment.

As an important feature of the invention a feed auger 33 is mounted forrotation in the trough 11. Referring to Fig. 4, the rear end of theauger has a splined extension 34 which fits telescopically within aspline-broached sleeve 35 having an inner end collar 36 and havingthreading 37 at its opposite end. When the parts which are shownexploded in Fig. 4 are assembled within the hearing housing 38 the partsare as shown at the right-hand end of Fig. 3. Here it may be seen thatan oil seal 39 surrounds the collar 36 and is located between saidcollar and the bearing housing. Next are the bearing cone 40 and cup 41which surround the sleeve 35 and fit between the collar 36 and anannular shoulder 42 within the hearing housing. On the other side of theannular shoulder of the bearing housing is another bearing cone 43within a cup 44. A nut 45 threaded on the threaded portion 37 of thesleeve 35 adjustably holds the bearing cone 43 in position, there beingan oil seal 46 surrounding the inner portion of the nut. A washer 4-7 ispositioned between the outer end of the nut 45 and a lock nut 48. Thesplined auger shaft portion 34 has a portion which projects beyond thesleeve 35 to which a sprocket wheel 50 is splined, whereby when thesprocket 50 is driven it will drive the auger. A nut 51 on a threadedshaft portion 52 of reduced diameter serves to hold the sprocket wheel50 in position. The sprocket wheel 50 is driven by an endless chain 53from the sprocket wheel 24 as shown in Fig. l. The bearing housing 38 isdetachably connected by bolts 54 to a transverse channel 55 whichextends transversely at the rear of the spreader housing 13 and issuitably secured thereto.

At the forward end of the auger there is a splined auger shaft extension34 (see Fig. 3) which telescopes within an adjustable bearing assembly56, the latter being identical to that shown in Fig. 4, except that theparts are reversed in position. The bearing assembly 56 in turn ismounted in a forward bearing housing 57 which is removably connected bybolts 58 to a transverse support 59 at the front of the body. Thebearing housing 57 communicates with a front opening at in the body, sothat by removing the nuts and bolts 58 the bearing housing with itsbearing assembly on the sleeve which corresponds to the sleeve 35 ofFig. 4 can be slid off of the splines on the splined end 34 of the augershaft to free the end of the auger. Similarly, by removing the nut 51and sprocket wheel 50 the splined end 34 can be withdrawn from thesleeve 35 within the bearing housing 38, leaving the housing with itsbearing assembly intact as a unit. Thus the auger 33 can be removed forrepair or replacement without disturbing the bearing assemblies Withinthe bearing housings, and there is no need to disturb the adjustment ofthe bearing assemblies when an auger is removed. It is merely necessaryto remove the bolts 54 or 58 at one or both ends of the body to removeone or both bearing housings. This, however, can be done without in anyway disturbing the unitary assembly of the hearings on the sleeveswithin the housings.

The auger 33 is formed in a novel manner so as to prevent undesiredbuildup of material at the rear of the body near the spreader housing.This is accomplished in the manner shown more particularly in Fig. 6,wherein it will be seen that the major portion of the length of theauger has a constant pitch, preferably a 4" pitch on an 8-foot auger.Where there is an eight foot auger, this 4" pitch preferably extensd for66" from the front of the body rearwardly as indicated by the spiralportion 61. For the next 15" toward the rear of the body there is a 6"pitch on the spiral portion 62, and for the rearwarclrnost 15" there isan 8" pitch as indicated by the spiral portion 63. With thisarrangement, material near the rear of the body is fed faster toward therear discharge end 15 of the auger trough. Thu's undesired buildup ofmaterial at the rear of the body is prevented, and there is noobjectionable increase in power required to move material out of thebody, as would be true if such buildup were permitted.

In use of the invention, it is apparent that when the motor 17 is inoperation, that the spinner 30 is rotated as well as the auger. Theauger serves to move sand, chips or other material within the body outof the rear end as shown in Fig. 2. Here the material falls on top ofthe spinner 30 which spreads it onto the road in a very effectivemanner, as has been described in co-pending application Serial No.664,368, filed June 7, 1957.

The use of an auger which extends longitudinally of a hopper-like bodyto deliver material such as sand or chips to a spreader locatedcentrally of the rear provides a very efiicient arrangement, and one inwhich there is a minimum of possibility of clogging or other operationaldifl-lculties. In addition it is apparent that the novel bearingarrangement for the auger makes it possible to remove the auger forrepair or replacement with a minimum of difficulty.

It is to be understood that the present invention is not to be limitedto the exact details of construction shown and described, for obviousmodifications will occur to persons skilled in the art.

What I claim is:

1. In a hopper body having ends and having a longitudinally extendingbottom trough to which material in the body gravitates, said troughhaving a rear discharge opening at one end of the hopper body, an augerin said trough extending longitudinally of the body and having an endadjacent said rear discharge opening of the trough to feed materialtherethrough, said auger having splined end extensions, front and rearbearing housings detachably mounted on the body at least one of which isexteriorly accessible for removal, an internally splined sleeve in eachhousing, and an anti-friction bearing assembly within each housingaround each sleeve, means for retaining each bearing assembly and sleevein position in its housing, the splined auger ends being engaged in saidsleeves and rotatable therewith in the bearing assemblies and beingwithdrawable from the sleeves without disturbing said bearingassemblies, and said hopper body having an end opening in alinernentwith said auger and of a diameter to permit withdrawal of the augertherethrough when the adjacent bearing assembly has been de tached.

2. In a hopper body having ends and having a longitudinally extendingbottom trough to which material in the hopper gravitates, said troughhaving a rear discharge opening at one end of the hopper body, an augerin said trough extending longitudinally of the body and having an endadjacent said rear discharge opening of the trough to feed materialtherethrough through which said auger projects and is withdrawable, saidauger having splined end extensions, front and rear bearinghousingsmounted on the body, said rear bearing housing being detachablysupported externally of the body, an internally splined sleeve in eachhousing, an anti-friction bearing assembly within each housing aroundeach sleeve, means for retaining each bearing assembly and sleeve inposition in its housing, the splined auger ends being engaged in saidsleeves and rotatable therewith in the bearing assemblies and beingwithdrawable from the sleeves without disturbing said bearing assemblieswhereby by removal of the rear bearing housing the auger can bewithdrawn from the front housing and removed from the body through thedischarge opening.

3. In a hopper body having ends and having a longitudinally extendingbottom trough to which material in the hopper gravitates, said troughhaving a rear discharge opening at one end of the hopper body, an augerin said trough extending longitudinally of the body and having an endadjacent said rear discharge opening of the trough to feed materialtherethrough through which said auger projects, said auger havingsplined end extensions, front and rear bearing housings detachablymounted on the body, said body having an opening in alignment with saidfront bearing housing through which the latter is accessible and may bewithdrawn when the housing has been detached and the rear bearinghousing being external at the opposite end of the body, an internallysplined sleeve in each housing, an anti-friction bearing assembly withineach housing around each sleeve, means for retaining each bearingassembly and sleeve in posi- 5 tion in its housing, the splined augerends being engaged in said sleeves and rotatable therewith in thebearing assemblies and being withdrawable from the sleeves Withoutdisturbing said bearing assemblies whereby by removal of one bearinghousing the auger can be withdrawn 10 from the other and removed fromthe body.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS BlueDec. 27, Moss Oct. 17, Abbe Sept. 22, Buthrie Mar. 9, Curtis Mar. 8,Fulkerson et a1 May 7, Warren June 29,

FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain Feb. 17,

